Express Belief
by Admiral T. DeVanto
Summary: Jack Frost witnesses the rebirth of a believer as a child rediscovers the wonder and spirit of Christmas.


North had made himself scarce for the last two months. In fact, the last Jack Frost had seen North was after the Thanksgiving week, and even then, North had been preoccupied with rolls of scrolls, barking out orders to his yetis, and scolding his bumbling elves. But with Christmas on the horizon, that was to be expected. The Guardians knew that they wouldn't see North until the New Year. Still, Jack found the time to drop in with his usual burst of cold wind announcing his presence.

He was expecting a dismissive greeting from North as the large man bustled around the workshop. Jack had only intended to drop in with a brief 'hello' before going off to explore the rest of the Pole. What he was not expecting was an overly enthusiastic North to greet him with a golden ticket.

"Ah! Jack Frost!" North boomed, coming towards the winter spirit with open arms. "Just da man I wanted to see!"

Jack only had time to blink in surprise before he was engulfed in a suffocating hug from North. "Was up North?" Jack wheezed.

"I have big news!" North exclaimed, finally releasing his fellow Guardian. "Now dhat you are Guardian, you have certain...eh, how to say? Liberties! Yes, liberties. And I want to give you your Christmas presents early!"

Jack raised an eyebrow, grinning in amusement. "Really?" As North held out the golden ticket, Jack received it and read the lettering. He stared at the unexpected invite, surprise filling him. "So," he drawled, looking up. "You're finally allowing me to observe your special side project, the _Polar Express_?"

North glanced at him with a hearty smile. "The _Polar Express _is not a mere side project. It is a part of the Christmas spirit! A way for me to reach out to children other than receiving letters of requests." He shook a finger at Jack. "And you were always permitted to view my train before," he answered.

"Oh yeah, sure," Jack quipped. Strolling casually through the tables full of toys, he watched as the yetis wrapped up the last preparations for Christmas. "And the yetis chasing me off with garbled threats, and your conductor angrily waving his lantern at me, was just their way of welcoming me on board?"

North sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Eh, mah conductor is just a little tightly wound up," he stated. "You would notice if you was working with him."

"Uh huh," Jack commented as he continued to stroll past the tables, careful not to touch anything and rile up the yetis. "Speaking of which, how is that you have _humans _working for you? And grownups at that?"

North's eyes twinkled with amusement, and Jack bit back a sigh of frustration. _That _look from North meant that he was not going to reveal anything, but he was surely going to enjoy teasing Jack about it.

"Man in Moon always provides me with the right people for mah projects," North supplied with a laugh. "By deh way," he said, stroking his beard, "how do you find the overall train ride? The ones you've been able to see."

"I couldn't get past the dancing waiters."

"Oh yes, security does get pretty tight after that-"

"No. I mean, I couldn't get past the dancing waiters. I mean, seriously North? Where do you find people like that?"

"Like I said, Man in Moon provides me with the right people." North winked as Jack groaned at the vague answer. "But dis time, you will be able to witness everything up close. You might even enjoy the experience."

"Oh I will," Jack assured him, grinning. He pocketed the ticket for safe keeping. A chance to see eager children on the eve of Christmas, the highlight of every child's life? He would never miss it.

* * *

Jack had to admit, North sure knew how to make a memorable experience for the kids. Between the missing ticket, the caribou, and the derailed train on the ice, these kids will forever remember this particular Christmas Eve.

Still, Jack mused as the elves cheered for their boss, he knew that the exciting events on the train was forgotten at the anticipation of meeting Santa. He smirked as the elves gave off a rendition of the song _Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town _as the wide doors opened. He didn't know that North had a flare of the dramatics.

Well, okay, maybe he did. Why else would the guy go around wearing such a red fur coat, a ridiculous hat, driving a sled pulled by reindeer? It must be a Guardian thing.

Jack flew back, content with observing everything from the background. This was North's moment; his night. Jack was pleased that he was permitted to witness this up close and personal. It was obvious from where he was perched that North was immersed in the moment, his rosy cheeks split in a wide grin as he waved to the ecstatic elves.

"_I believe." _

Jack's head swiveled in the direction he heard the voice. Like a whisper in the wind, he had heard the confirmation. He searched the crowd, blue eyes hurriedly scanning every individual. It couldn't have been one of the elves, so it was most certainly would have been one of the visiting children. But why would there be an unbeliever on the Express?

Jack flew down to the edge of the visiting children, noting their glee at the presence of North. He quickly looked over every face of every child. He noted the joyous expression of one particular girl, her brown eyes alight as if she was given the best gift in the world. He took note of a small boy with sandy-colored hair; how his expression was one of hope, and dare he say, solace.

His eyes landed on a lone boy standing off at the edge of the crowd. Jack frowned. Why would this one be off all alone, while everyone rushed to get a glimpse of North? He drifted closer…

...and witnessed the most wondrous expression on the boy's face. The pure song of the bell pierced through Jack's heart, and he could not help but smile as he heard the ringing of North's sleigh bells. The boy heard it too, for his face shone with astonishment as he stared at the silver bell. Jack became entranced as he observed the boy and the bell, and it was in that moment that he realized what he was witnessing.

The rebirth of a believer.

So entranced was Jack by the boy, and the boy with the bell, that neither one noticed the approaching figure until he spoke.

North stood behind the boy, looking down at him with an expression of welcome. "What was that you said?"

Jack stepped back as the boy stared in awe at the man he regarded as Santa. "I... I believe." He stepped back, overwhelmed with who he saw, his belief rewarded. "I believe."

Jack's expression lit up as he looked at North, realizing what a significant moment this was. This was North receiving a believer anew. Even though North had a plethora of believers around the world, this did not change the fact that this moment filled North with joy, as evident on the blooming happiness on his face. For someone who possessed Wonder as his Center, North found joy in giving wonder to children of the world. That's what made the mission of the _Polar Express _so special; to give wonder to children. It was not a mere side project as Jack had dismissed. It was North spreading his Wonder. Jack could not resist smiling, happy for his friend.

As the boy stuttered to answer North, Jack took a step back to watch the scene. He noticed that even the elves took note of the moment. Even as North addressed the other gathered children, Jack observed the boy.

"And speaking of gifts!" North announced, his voice ringing through the area. With a small smile that only Jack could spot, North glanced down at the blue-robed boy. "Let's have this young fellow right here."

Jack's face broke out into another smile at the boy's astonished expression. Whooping in delight, Jack flew up in the air. Landing not far from where the sleigh was, Jack watched as the boy sat on North's lap. While looking hesitant, the boy was also delighted. Whispering to North what he wanted for Christmas, Jack watched as a thoughtful look crossed North's face. He gave the boy a pleased look. "Indeed," he murmured. Standing up, he placed a gloved hand on the boy's shoulder while displaying the bell to the crowd in his other. "The first gift of Christmas!"

Cheers erupted all around, and Jack could only grin, swept up in the excitement of it all. He liked this boy, he concluded. He could only imagine the delight North felt at witnessing the rebirth of a believer. Each one mattered to North, just as Jack valued his own believers.

The belief of a child was precious and more valuable than any Christmas present the world had to offer. That boy understood it, and that is why he desired the bell as his first gift of Christmas: a symbol of his belief.

The bell on the town square startled Jack out of his revere, and he looked up at the clock tower. Anticipation welled up inside of him, and he hopped down from his perch. As the boy rejoined the crowd, North settled down in his sleigh. Once the reindeer were in sync with each other, Jack leaped into the air to join them.

Flying over the children, he could not resist showering them with a sprinkle of snowflakes. He grinned as their cheers reached his ears. The light of the Christmas tree illuminated the starry night, filling Jack with anticipation for Christmas.

"Come on Dasher!" Jack hollered, pulling ahead of the sleigh. "Is that all you got, Prancer?"

"Jack! Stop taunting my reindeer!" Jack's response was to laugh and increase his speed.

"Come on guys!" Jack gleefully shouted. "Dash away!"

"Jack! That's my line! Dash away!" But North was laughing along, encouraging his reindeer onward. As a flurry of sparks and snowflakes filled the area, Jack smiled.

So maybe they _both_ had a flare for the dramatics?

* * *

**A/N: I hope I didn't butcher North's speech too much.**

**As North/Santa would say, Merry Christmas! **


End file.
